Brazilian vice-president hears suggestions on possible new cabinet

Vice-President Michel Temer spent one more day attending meetings with allies on Monday (Apr. 25), talking to members of a number of political parties or hearing suggestions. The busy schedule centers on the creation of a new government, in case President Dilma Rousseff is removed from office by the Senate in May and Temer assumes the presidency.

Temer avoided making remarks after the meetings. “I'll wait for [the outcome of the impeachment process in] the Senate,” he told journalists. Nonetheless, he repeated his strategy from last Friday (22), and granted interviews to foreign news outlets to rebut Rousseff's allegations that the efforts to impeach her amount to a coup. According to the president, Temer has conspired against her.

“Impeachment is a legal and constitutional move. This is why I say that there's no coup or no attempt to violate the Constitution. [The majority of] the population backs impeachment, what conspiracy could I be spearheading?” the vice-president said on CNN.

Temer's allies said he must be prepared in case the Senate temporarily removes Rousseff from office. “He has good expectations, he's well advised, and ready for a possible administration. I'm sure it's going to work well,” former Minas Gerais governor Newton Cardoso told the press after the meeting.

Those who paid Temer's office a visit stated he has not been making invitations of talking about how government posts should be occupied. Deputy Sarney Filho, for instance, head of the Green Party, said the party has not yet made a decision on whether it should join a Temer government in case the vice-president takes office, and denied that the “natural way of things” would be to step in as environment minister.

On Sunday (24), Temer met with São Paulo Federation of Industries (FIESP) President Paulo Skaf, who said he brought forward a series of proposals for solving the country's fiscal situation without raising taxes.

Temer's schedule in the upcoming days is expected to continue the discussion about new government, as he is receiving this Tuesday morning (26) representatives from four labor union centers—UGT, Nova Central Sindical, CSB, and Força Sindical.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira

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